Pursuit

On Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at approximately 11:33 PM, the Oxford County Regional Communications Center received a report of several shots fired on Park Street in the town of Paris. A Maine State Police Trooper from the Southern Field Troop was in the area and responded to assist.

Upon arrival, a blue SUV was observed leaving the immediate area. Officers attempted a traffic stop in West Paris, but the driver refused to pull over, initiating a high-speed pursuit. Law enforcement agencies from Oxford and Androscoggin counties assisted in the pursuit.

A spike mat was successfully deployed, and the vehicle ultimately crashed in a field on Route 26 in Mechanic Falls terminating the pursuit. All four occupants of the vehicle were transported to Central Maine Medical Center. One passenger sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The other passengers were treated and released. Two firearms were recovered following the pursuit.

The driver, 24-year-old Luis Andres Lorenzo Rondon of Lawrence, Massachusetts, was arrested and charged with Eluding an Officer, Reckless Conduct with a Dangerous Weapon (vehicle), Driving to Endanger and Criminal Speeding. Rondon was transported to the Androscoggin County Jail. No injuries were reported in connection to the shots fired in Paris.

The investigation is ongoing.

On Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at approximately 1:30 PM, a Trooper from the Maine State Police Central Field Troop observed a black Chevrolet Impala on Townhouse Road in West Gardiner. The vehicle was driven by 34-year-old Pearle Thomas of Augusta, with her husband, 33-year-old Zebbie Thomas of Charleston, as a passenger. Zebbie Thomas has multiple active arrest warrants issued by other law enforcement agencies for felony robbery, aggravated assault, and violating conditions of release.  

Zebbie and Pearle have evaded law enforcement multiple times in past weeks during efforts to apprehend them. Today an attempt to initiate a traffic stop was made, but the Impala failed to pull over and a pursuit ensued. For the safety of the public and responding personnel, the Trooper executed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver on West Road in West Gardiner, successfully terminating the pursuit.

Both Pearl and Zebbie Thomas were taken into custody without further incident. Both are being treated at a local hospital for minor injuries and will be transported to the Kennebec County Jail upon release. Pearle and Zebbie Thomas are charged with Eluding, Driving to Endanger and Failure to Stop. West Gardiner and Gardiner Fire Department’s assisted on scene.